Morning at the Saratoga Race Track

Before you plunk down money on an exacta at the the oldest sports venue in the U.S., take the backstretch tour to gawk at pricey ponies and their trainers behind-the-scenes.  Find out where Fourstardave is buried, and learn other tidbits that won’t help you win any bets, but will increase your appreciation for the sport.

You may see a runaway horse, a daily, if unwanted occurrence in the backstretch where horses live when they are not racing, which is most of the time.

Backstretch tours are free. No reservations. Meet the tram at the main Clubhouse and plan to get there early.  First tour at 7:30 a.m., last one at 9:00 a.m. They say they go every 15 minutes.

Or just have breakfast in the clubhouse and watch the horses practice for the main event: running as fast as they can.